Unai Emery revealed after Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth final weekend why Lucas Torreira requested to be substituted after 79 minutes. He was drained.

The 2 worldwide friendlies he performed with Uruguay days beforehand definitely contributed to his tiredness, however anybody who has seen the 22-year-old play will perceive precisely how he’d be so shattered simply three months into the brand new season.

Torreira joined Arsenal from Sampdoria in the summertime for a price within the area of £26 million ($34m) . His performances for Uruguay on the World Cup solely served as additional leverage to extend the switch price ticket, though fortunately for Arsenal they managed to get a deal agreed earlier than he performed any video games in Russia. Sven Mislintat focused Torreira as somebody who may very well be essential to Arsenal within the coming seasons, a tenacious midfielder who possesses a mix of defensive and attacking qualities.

Earlier on within the season it was one other summer time signing, Matteo Guendouzi, who began alongside Granit Xhaka in midfield. Guendouzi’s uncooked, excessive vitality performances instantly endeared him to the Arsenal devoted however there was nonetheless a way of anticipation for Torreira’s arrival into the beginning line-up following an prolonged break after his World Cup excursions.

The partnership with Xhaka has been rightly lauded for triggering an enchancment within the Swiss worldwide. Xhaka has extra freedom to flourish in his deep mendacity playmaker position, whereas Torreira screens the defence and presents an incisiveness going ahead when required.

“Granit is a participant that I hyperlink up rather a lot with within the midfield and he covers lot of floor on the pitch. He occupies area very well and is vital to the defensive stability of the crew, which the supervisor is aware of,” Torreira advised the Night Normal .

“He is an outlet for the primary move from defence and frustrates the opposition’s attackers. When he is enjoying properly, the crew are going to win video games. We’re gaining factors and me and him are enjoying minutes collectively and gaining expertise collectively, which is vital.”

Certainly, towards Bournemouth it was Torreira who accomplished two of his three tackles in midfield, touched the ball 76 instances and produced a 91 per cent move success fee. Together with one key move and a dribble, his midfield engine emphasises why he’s so helpful for Unai Emery’s aspect this season and is arguably the membership’s most vital participant proper now. All of the extra spectacular is the truth that he’s studying a brand new tactical system after becoming a member of from Serie A.

“I’m going to become familiar higher with all of the tactical elements of how Arsenal play,” Torreira defined.

“Final 12 months, I received used to Sampdoria’s model of play, the place we had three gamers throughout the midfield, and I am now adapting to Arsenal’s and there simply being two of us.

“There are numerous issues I can enhance on, however that can include time. We’re going to have a a lot better understanding, we’ll solely enhance and when issues are going properly the crew will turn out to be even higher.”

Whereas Arsenal not have a Gilberto Silva or Patrick Vieira in midfield, they do now have a lynchpin who supporters perceive and are appreciative of the sort of work he does on the pitch.

‘He comes from Uruguay, he’s solely 5 foot 5’ sing the Arsenal followers in each recreation – and rightly so. Torreira has added a brand new dimension to the Gunners and offered the solutions to those that questioned whether or not they discovered the appropriate defensive midfielder after signing him in the summertime.